HYDERABAD: The contacting agencies - Afcons and L&T - came forward to cooperate with Irrigation department in restoring the Annaram and Medigadda barrages of Kaleshwaram project as suggested by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA).
In its letter, Afcons said, “The contractor assures the Irrigation department that it will provide all necessary assistance in execution of rehabilitation work as per its drawing and instruction and stand with it for safeguarding the structural integrity of the Annaram barrage and avoid any risk to the lives and livelihood of the dependent communities.”
However, Afcons wanted the department to pay the pending bills of Rs 176.49 crore and release the bank guarantee of Rs 43.38 crore.
The NDSA recommended holistic rehabilitation design, which includes detailed assessment of the structural health and safety of the barrage, comprehensive geotechnical studies and advanced geophysical assessments, hydraulic design aided by appropriate hydraulic model studies and structural design through appropriate mathematical modelling software etc.
Afcons wanted the department to engage designer/qualified specialised agency/design consultant to undertake rehabilitation design as suggested by NDSA.
However, Afcons stated that as the monsoon has already commenced, the rehabilitation works may be taken up later.
In another letter, L&T stated that they are of the opinion that the department should take up further geotechnical investigation. The contractor assured its cooperation based on certain mutually agreed terms for taking up new works and enable the Irrigation department for rehabilitation of the barrage.
Stop AP project
Meanwhile, Irrigation Engineer-in-Chief G Anil Kumar in a letter once again requested the Godavari River Management Board to prevent Andhra Pradesh from constructing Godavari-Banakacherla project.
In the wake of reports that AP submitted the proposal to take up the project in Niti Aayog meeting, Anil Kumar requested GRMB to desist AP from taking up the proposal forward in any form and initiate action without further loss of time as per the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.